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Members of the Delaware Muslim community host a dinner for Louise Cummings (left), widow of Cpl. Stephen Ballard of the Delaware State Police, at the Tarbiyah School in Newark.(Photo: Doug Curran, DOUG CURRAN/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS)

Delaware’s Muslim-American community hosted city, county and state officials alongside Louise Ballard, the widow of Cpl. Stephen Ballard, to show their appreciation to law enforcement.

Held Wednesday after sundown outside the Tarbiyah School in Newark, the event brought together police personnel and elected officials.

It included members of Wilmington, New Castle County, and Delaware State police departments, as well as Gov. John Carney, Attorney General Matt Denn, New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer and Lt. Gov Bethany Hall-Long. They dined on Moroccan cuisine on the 27th night of Ramadan.

Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer for Muslims, who do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset during this time.

“Iftar is an evening meal during the religious observances of Ramadan that Muslims use to break their fast as a community,” said Dr. Naveed Baqir, executive director of the Delaware Council on Global and Muslim Affairs, which focuses on social justice within the Muslim community. “Law enforcement is not on the people, it is with the people.”

Bridging the gap between police and community by way of peace was on the minds of many officials who attended the dinner.

Carney said it is important for law enforcement and elected officials to know and understand the communities that they’re tasked to serve.

The Delaware State Police pay respect during a prayer session as members of the Delaware Muslim community host a dinner for Louise Cummings, widow of Cpl. Stephen Ballard of the Delaware State Police, at the Tarbiyah School in Newark.(Photo: Doug Curran, DOUG CURRAN/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS)

“Law enforcement, I think, is most effective when departments are working in synch with communities,” he said.

As a Muslim-American, Wilmington Police Capt. Faheem Akil has witnessed the Islamic community's growth in Delaware. The fight for social change, however, continues here and throughout the world, he said, among those with a “lack of understanding, a lack of trust and a lack of information.”

“Over the last few years, people have tried to equate Islam with terrorism, that’s one of the things we refute,” Akil said. “As you come to these events and you get to know what Islam is and isn’t, you can make a better-informed decision, especially in law enforcement and people in general.”

The celebration was also a show of support by Delaware's Muslim community for Ballard's widow. Students of the Tarbiyah School shared drawings and artwork as a show of respect for her husband’s sacrifice.

Ballard said she was honored and humbled by the invitation and reiterated her husband’s love for the community and his wish for all to be united.

Governor John Carney pays respect during a prayer session as members of the Delaware Muslim community host a dinner for Louise Cummings, widow of Cpl. Stephen Ballard of the Delaware State Police, at the Tarbiyah School in Newark.(Photo: Doug Curran, DOUG CURRAN/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS)

“When police officers leave their home, they don’t know if they’re coming back, but to be honest, it’s all of us,” she said. “When I see things, like what happened in London [eight people killed in two separate attacks on June 3], it’s not fair, it’s not right. It’s the same thing with my husband. It’s not fair, it’s not right. But we’re all here to stay strong and lift one another up.”

Ballard thanked the community for their kind words and prayers to her and her family over the past few months and hopes more communities in Delaware will come together.

“Whenever there’s a celebration, let’s celebrate together,” she said. “Let’s pray together and when there are challenges, let’s stand strong together.”